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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23660440">Lead Me Up the Mountain</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProfessorDrarry/pseuds/ProfessorDrarry'>ProfessorDrarry</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Field Trip, Flobberworms, Healer Draco Malfoy, Healer Harry Potter, M/M, Mountains, Patronus, Research, Yeah no seriously</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:34:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,175</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23660440</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProfessorDrarry/pseuds/ProfessorDrarry</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When they end up on a mountain, there are certain things that come to light and Harry, who has never left well enough alone, continues to not disappoint. It's just too bad that Draco can't see the benefit of having a Potter on your side.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>108</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I didn't research at all. Not mountains, not Patronus', not Flobberworms. Please try to enjoy it anyway, even with what I suspect are NUMEROUS very obvious plot holes.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was the panting that eventually became impossible to ignore. Harry had been pretending that he hadn't heard Malfoy for most of his assent, but the bloody panting as he caught up to Harry was difficult to pretend his way out of.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Will you be </span>
  <em>
    <span>quiet</span>
  </em>
  <span>?" he hissed to the sound behind him, ducking behind a tree near his right and looking out to the clearing before them. "Are you </span>
  <em>
    <span>trying </span>
  </em>
  <span>to make this take three weeks rather than three days?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You forgot me!" Malfoy all but shouted, despite his lack of breath and sweaty pallor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry held back his malicious grin. "I didn’t. I just left on time. Besides, Albert had your gear. You not catching up is on you,” he said lightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Listen, Potter. I'm the reason your funding came through for this trip. I don't care if you like this but I demand that you—"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now Harry did laugh. "Demand? Ha. Look at you, Malfoy. You have no bloody clue what you're doing on a mountain. Now, you insisted on coming along when Costas broke his foot. And then you were an hour late for departure. So, the only remaining question is...are you going to start listening to me, or are you going to die on this mountain?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Malfoy started to mumble something about procedural briefs and correct resource allocation, and Harry sighed deeply and cleared his throat. The glare it earned him was well worth it, as Malfoy pushed his damp hair back off his forehead and stood straight in challenge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes. Fine. Lead on, oh golden one."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Malfoy, of all the people Harry had ever known, was the most brilliant at making perfectly normal words sound like you were being cussed out. In the five years that their companies had been working together in medical research, Harry had become particularly adept at earning these violently toned pseudo insults. The fact that he had earned one now made him grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good. Let's go. It'll be dark soon. We need to set up the tents."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Malfoy continued to grumble under his breath, but he did follow him into the small copse of trees that Harry had been headed toward for an hour. They weren't at the summit, not by a long shot; here, the wind was held at bay by the small trees and shrubs, and the clearing offered them some protection and warning of animals that may approach. Still, Harry spent the first ten minutes of his time casting a variety of common shields and barriers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is it exactly you think you're doing?" Malfoy suddenly announced, interrupting Harry's counter-jinx alarm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Making sure you don't die by a bear. That'd be a shame."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Shields?" Malfoy sneered. "You think you're casting </span>
  <em>
    <span>shields</span>
  </em>
  <span>?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For the first time that day, Harry bristled. Malfoy was normally just a professional reality. They didn't often work side by side, and so most days, Harry could ignore his presence as a mere hangnail. Annoying if you thought about it too often, but usually avoidable if you were busy. During board meetings, they would occasionally find common ground, in fact, arguing a point in fine detail until the chair would silence them out of pure frustration. They never acknowledged these moments of solidarity, but they </span>
  <em>
    <span>had </span>
  </em>
  <span>led to a working relationship that could be considered tolerable. At least, these days, Malfoy was quiet and humble and abashed. Most of the time. Usually, Harry could count on him to be on the side of his patients. Which was close enough to an ally for him to comprehend the dry, acerbic wit that he reserved for Harry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This voice, however, was pure Hogwarts days. Potions class, to be exact. Gone was the genial voice Malfoy used in front of bosses and clients. Gone was the veneer of respectful humility. This was full Slytherin sneer, and Harry wanted to punch him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He instead rolled his neck and lowered his wand. "Sorry, Malfoy," he declared, emphasising the name. "You can finish up here and I'll set up your tent, will I? Your </span>
  <em>
    <span>highness</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For whatever reason, the insult got under Malfoy’s skin. Harry watched him recoil slightly before remembering himself and drawing his wand. He didn't reply, turning instead to the barrier and murmuring incarnations. Annoyingly, Harry did see the familiar glimmer of a properly cast shield charm, and he forced himself to dig into his enlarged pack and draw out the tents.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were up in seconds, two small pup tents that hid a full twin-sized mattress. Regular survival versions, so no kitchen, but they both had heat and they both had rations, and Harry spat a 'good night' at Malfoy before retreating to his own bed. Six-hour hikes were not what he was trained for anymore, after all. The first-year field research days were far behind both of them, and the exhaustion of middle age had crept up on them subtly.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The first night was so uneventful that Harry didn't bother with a full report in his Patronus down the mountain to the superiors. He just sent the words ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>all fine’</span>
  </em>
  <span> flying away and turned to find Malfoy watching him, that same look of discomfort from the night before already plastered on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you for </span>
  <em>
    <span>gracing </span>
  </em>
  <span>me with your presence," Harry cajoled. "Did you eat?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Malfoy nodded. "We'd better get going. We only have two days."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry let his easy smile fade and dragged himself back from the comfort of being in nature, back from the gentle pause he'd been planning on giving Malfoy after such a strenuous hike. He refused to acknowledge the tug in his stomach, the sour taste in his mouth, the rumpled emergence of Malfoy’s hair as he smoothed down his Travel Appropriate Jumper. He cleared his throat and stood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Right. Sure. Best get a move on. Got your notes?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Malfoy nodded again and patted a ridiculous messenger bag he'd slung on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They walked a good mile away from their camp, with Malfoy occasionally stopping to survey the ground, dirt and grass smearing on his knees but seemingly going unnoticed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Here," he suddenly announced, sounding so sure and so authoritative that Harry actually paused mid-stride. The tiny shiver that went down his neck went thoroughly ignored as he turned back to look at Malfoy sceptically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Here?" he replied doubtfully, hoping to annoy Malfoy again and ease his own discomfort.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unfortunately, Malfoy simply nodded, dropped his pack, and had his canteen out a nanosecond later. The deep pull he took made the muscles on his neck contract, his now grimy, sweat-soaked hair whipping out of the way in the mountain air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not that Harry noticed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sat down and pulled out his own notebook, jotting notes about what he found in the clearing; wildflowers, some small scrub brush, yellowing, warmth-starved grass.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's mountain yarrow," he murmured to himself, plucking up a tiny spray of white flowers and sticking it in the pages of his book.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mm," Malfoy replied, sending small sparks out from his now drawn wand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry looked sidelong at him. He didn't know what Malfoy was attempting, but he knew the look of a failed spell anywhere. The silver that had just emerged looked familiar. Still, when Malfoy’s eyes snapped over to meet his own, Harry tore his gaze quickly back to the notebook.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We can stay here," Malfoy replied gruffly. "If you wanted to report. Seems promising." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry turned to face him again, but Malfoy had looked away. He let his wand fall from his sleeve but did not cast. "They can wait," he said instead. He couldn't be sure, but he was pretty sure that Malfoy allowed a small smile at the sentiment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For several hours, they sat like this. Beside each other, but far away, each locked in their own place, mentally distant and focused only on themselves. It occurred to Harry about halfway through the afternoon that they had never managed this; even when they worked together in a lab, they argued or cajoled. There had been a year or so at the beginning of Healer training where Harry had spent a lot of time trying to get Malfoy fired, and technically at that point, they hadn’t spoken. But comfortable silence? Never. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It hit Harry in the gut when Malfoy offered him a sandwich, silently proferring the food as though it weren’t a miraculous peace offering. With no idea how to voice this problematic revelation, however, Harry only nodded and took the food. He continued making notes while Malfoy continued watching the horizon, awaiting a signal only he knew about. Only when the sun sank below the first distant peak did Harry make a sound. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We oughtta get back," he said, standing. "Don't want to be out of the wards after dark." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Malfoy did not reply as he stood. But as he gathered his things, he sighed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"S'okay," Harry replied hesitantly. "We'll be back here tomorrow." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Malfoy eyed him sharply for a moment. Harry felt surveyed. He nodded again, opening his mouth to speak before instead gesturing for Harry to lead the way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Halfway back to camp, Harry was struck by the most Gryffindor revelation he'd had in years; he could not go another two days without speaking to anyone. He’d go mad.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So," he said suddenly, too loudly, making Malfoy jump. "Explain what we're doing here again?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Malfoy may have wanted to ignore him initially, but seemed to quickly latch onto this safe conversational ground. In retrospect, Harry wasn't surprised. He'd seen Malfoy at company mixers. The man was hardly the silent, mysterious type. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re waiting for the swarm of flobberworm larvae so we can harvest them.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Brushing right past my complete concern about the word ‘swarm’, is there a plan for collecting them?” </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“You know there is,” Malfoy replied irritably. “You.” </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Harry grinned, unable to catch himself in time. The plan was why he was here. “That’s right,” he gloated. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>am </span>
  </em>
  <span>the plan. I am, in fact, why our grant was approved.” </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Malfoy groaned loudly and surged on ahead. “You are </span>
  <em>
    <span>insufferable</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry laughed loudly and Malfoy flipped him off. They got back to the tent area and Malfoy threw his bag on the ground in a huff. “For the record,” he grumbled. “I would have been fine to collect them on my own.” </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry chuckled. “I know, don’t worry. It’s your research. I was only kidding. It was just a convenient time to try my new stasis charm. Speaking of which, can you message Albert? Just let him know we didn’t find ‘em yet. He’s likely fretting at base camp.”<br/>
</span>
  <span>Inexplicably, Harry watched as the tenuous truce they had found over many hours of silence snapped in an instant. Malfoy’s face went cold and harsh, and he turned on a quiet heel. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will not. He’s your boss. You do the menial </span>
  <em>
    <span>informing</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Goodnight, Potter,” he spat, disappearing into his tent without even picking up his bag. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baffled, he picked up the abandoned pack, and took himself to his tent too, throwing off a Patronus as he did, irritated and confused by the sudden turn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fucking Malfoy,” he grumbled that evening as he drifted off to sleep. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It can’t have been even midnight when the scream woke him. Harry was out of bed and through the tent door before the sound even died completely. He whirled around the clearing, wand extended in the darkness. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Malfoy?” he called into the trees. Behind him, a muffled groan calmed him. The tall, slender form of Malfoy was standing at the tent door. At least he hoped it was Malfoy. He’d neglected to put on his glasses. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry,” the man called out gruffly. “Nightmare. Forgot to cast a silencing charm. Go back to bed, you look ridiculous.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Harry lowered his wand, relief forcing a chuckle from his throat. He glanced down at his over-large pyjamas. “Yeah, well, sorry for not appearing to your rescue in the correct uniform.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you even see right now?” Malfoy muttered with a yawn, approaching Harry in the blurry night. “How exactly were you planning to protect me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the darkness, the sounds around them were amplified. The light from the moon was casting a blue glow on things, and their voices were being brought into fuzzy closeness with the shields. For some reason, all these things combined made him blush. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Accio glasses,” he murmured, holding out a hand to catch the flying frames. “Who says I would’ve protected you,” he added, shoving them on his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Malfoy smiled wanly and sat down on a camp chair. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“You okay?” Harry asked mildly, sitting down on the ground next to him and lighting the fire with his wand. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Malfoy shrugged, stifling a yawn. “Yeah, sure. Just a normal night.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Yeah,” Harry replied. “I get it.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Malfoy stared at the flame a moment and huffed. “Just don’t, okay? This isn’t some...bonding moment. I had a nightmare, I woke you up. I’m sorry. Let’s not drag this out.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Harry sighed. “Fine. Send a message down the mountain that we’re fine. I’m going back to bed.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>He stood up and walked away, ignoring the fact that he really wanted to shout at Malfoy again. Ask him why he was so determined to keep shutting down any conversation that led to civility between them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait,” Malfoy muttered just as Harry pulled back the door of his tent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” he snapped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you...can you send the message?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Harry paused. He thought for one more second about what he was about to ask. Because once he asked the question poised on the tip of his tongue, he had the suspicion that there would be no going back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This question, once asked, was going to carry weight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Malfoy…" Harry paused. "Draco," he started again. "Can you cast a Patronus?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even in the silhouetted darkness of the fire, Harry witnessed Malfoy recoil. Wince. There was certainly a pained expression that he couldn't see sitting on Malfoy’s face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's…it's no big deal," Harry added pathetically. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can we please just </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span>," Malfoy hissed. "Do you hear yourself? Not a big deal. I'm a </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ministry </span>
  </em>
  <span>employee, for Merlin's sake! Of course it’s a ‘big deal’. It’s protocol. So there you go. Don’t worry, as soon as we get back, you can scurry on down to tell security. You'll finally see me sacked. Congratulations.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was Harry's turn to wince. He let go of the tent canvas and walked slowly back to the fire, crouching down beside Draco's chair and poking the flames with a stick. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Or I could teach you," he said casually. Quietly. He was very close to Malfoy now. Hexing distance. Hell, </span>
  <em>
    <span>punching </span>
  </em>
  <span>distance if he was so inclined. He tried to stay very, very still. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Malfoy stood. "Please let's not play this game, Potter. I… Oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>this trip was a bad idea. Look, I understand why you…why we…the banter and such.” Malfoy inhaled deeply and took a step back from the fire. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen, I really don't need you coming in and saving me like a horse and a white knight and all that rubbish,” he continued. Harry regarded him from his calculated crouch, which seemed to make him even more uncomfortable. He took another step back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“S-so kindly just…you have your information now. What you do with it is up to you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you marked?" Harry asked boldly. In for a penny, after all. What was the point in skirting the issue? "Is that why you never learned? Because I can promise you, all that 'if you're marked you can't' business is bullshit." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is that what you want to know?" Malfoy hissed, truly angry now. He flung the arm of his long-sleeved t-shirt up to reveal his forearm, pale and milky in the moonlit night. He stalked forward and thrust it under Harry’s face. There was nothing there. Well, there were scars—quite a few, in fact, that Harry recognized from his own skin—but no snake. Harry gulped and looked away, standing himself and putting down his stick. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Snape could cast and he was marked,” he continued, pretending he’d seen nothing. “There's no reason you can't—" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Draco screamed then, the sound anguished and feral. "Will. You. Stop,” he seethed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry blinked up at him. He nodded once. Turned back to his tent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay. Night, then. Cast a silencing charm before you go to sleep, would you? And put out that fire." </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The second morning brought with it cloudy skies. Nothing too dark, would probably burn off by lunchtime, and Harry was determined to let the day move forward with as little animosity as he could. Last night could be last night. He was sorry he had pushed but if Draco let it go, he would too. They could finish this research, head back down the mountain, go back to pretending they were merely casual acquaintances. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn't fucking care if Malfoy couldn't cast a Patronus. Let him keep hiding that. What he </span>
  <em>
    <span>did </span>
  </em>
  <span>care about was their ability to be civil with one another. It wearied Harry to think that he was headed back to eighth year. He'd spent the better part of eight months that year convincing everyone he knew that he was done with petty rivalry and school-boy fights. They had fought against actual evil, won, and needed to use that to exist on common ground, if just for a year or two. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Morning," he said neutrally as he approached the fire, which was already roaring and already holding a bundled up blonde at bay. Malfoy had made coffee and now held out a canteen to Harry, slinging his pack over his shoulder with a weak smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Morning,” he replied. “Ready?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They headed off in silence, and Harry had to resist the urge to whoop in his relief. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The clearing was as they'd left it, though the clouds made it chillier. Harry threw out a warm woollen blanket and subsequently, Draco sat much closer than the previous day. Harry could consequently hear him murmuring to himself as he took notes. Nearly silently, Malfoy observed the scenery as he wrote it down, took in the morning colours and animals he saw. It was fascinating to hear, and Harry eventually fell asleep in the cool mid-morning to the lull of his voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey. Potter. Wake up. Look." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry opened a drowsy eye to find Malfoy standing nearby. He sat up and looked forward. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ground was carpeted in white. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Huh. Look at that," Harry mused lazily. "Swarm." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Malfoy shot him a wry smile, a quirked eyebrow. "Indeed." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They spent an hour collecting samples, looking for larvae in every possible stage of development as they went, securing them with Harry's stasis in small jars from Malfoy’s bag. The work was easy and amicable, requiring little communication. When they finished, according to Malfoy of course, the sun had made an appearance and Harry stretched out his arms into the warmth it provided. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let's go back to camp for lunch," he offered. "Eat something warm." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Malfoy nodded, holding one of the jars up to his face. He examined it for half the journey back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I feel bad for these, I think. Always written off by everyone as useless," Malfoy mused suddenly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Including you," Harry replied, a note of teasing he had not intended sneaking into his voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luckily, it earned him a coy grin. "Yes, well. I disliked Care of Magical Creatures. Plus, I was an idiot." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Was</span>
  </em>
  <span>?" Harry jeered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey now," Malfoy returned, still grinning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were both in better spirits by the time they sat down to the warm stew Harry had heated over the fire. The sun was fully banishing the clouds and the worms were securely in Draco’s tent. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Would it be hard?” Malfoy asked abruptly. “To teach me.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Maybe,” Harry shrugged. “Won’t know until we try.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Malfoy looked away, and the embarrassment he exuded was a force to be reckoned with. Harry remembered a moment too late that this was the Slytherin head-of-the-year. A boy who wasn’t used to not being good at something. He needed to change tactics.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve taught loads of people, though,” he added. “And all of them had a fully corporeal Patronus by the end.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Sure,” Malfoy replied quietly, “but none of them had...had </span>
  <em>
    <span>him </span>
  </em>
  <span>in their houses for the entire course of a war. Happy memories are...not easy to come by.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Doesn’t really take much,” Harry said, trying to be gentle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Draco turned back to him and studied his face; for the second time this trip, Harry found himself being uncomfortably </span>
  <em>
    <span>observed. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Draco said with a sigh, closing his eyes. “Let’s try.” </span>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Harry blinked once before the words filtered through. “Oh...okay. Um, right now?”<br/><br/>Draco looked annoyed for a moment before he stood up and brought his chair back from the fire. “Yes, right now. Idiot. Unless you had other plans for the afternoon?”<br/><br/>Harry chuckled. “Okay, lesson one. Stop being such an asshole. It’s going to make it really hard for me to explain the Patronus charm.”<br/><br/>“For fuck’s sake, Potter. Do you not think that in all this time I haven’t had someone <em> explain </em> the Patronus charm to me? I know the mechanics. It’s the <em> casting </em> I’m struggling with. So please save me whatever ‘the pureness of your memory’ speech you have memorised and just...show me.”<br/><br/>Harry smirked. It was easier, now, after years of practice, to recognise when Malfoy was just being swallowed by his own pride. He knew the telltale twitch of his hands, the avoidance of direct eye contact. Malfoy was embarrassed, not angry. So instead of replying, Harry pulled out his wand, and with a lazy flick, muttered ‘<em>Expecto Patronum’ </em>into the empty clearing. </p><p>The buck leapt joyfully from the end of his wand and galloped around them once before rearing onto its back legs in triumph, then waiting patiently for its instructions. Draco watched the movement of the slightly glowing spectre with annoyance. Harry was glad for the sun. It was less impressive in the daylight than it was at night. </p><p>“So. Have you ever managed to cast it?” Harry said quietly.</p><p>“Once or twice, I’ve managed the...the silver sparks. But it’s never enough to do anything with.”<br/><br/>“Well,” Harry declared, dropping his wand and dispelling the buck. “The first thing you’re going to have to do is lighten the fuck up. This isn’t a...condemnation on your character or something. The Patronus is one of the most difficult—” </p><p>“Spells a wizard can manage. I told you, Potter, I’ve heard it all before. Save it.”<br/><br/>“Fine. But it’s true. There are loads of people who never manage to cast it.”<br/><br/>“Neat. Cool,” Draco hissed. “So this is your inspirational speech?”<br/><br/>“Yup,” Harry replied with a grin. “What I’m <em> saying </em> is that there is no reason you <em> can’t </em> cast it. It’s not like, say, Occlumency, where it’s literally the mind of the wizard. It’s just plain hard.”<br/><br/>Draco inhaled as though to retort, but Harry held up a hand.<br/><br/>“Show me.”<br/><br/>“What?”<br/><br/>“Show me what happens when you try to cast it.”<br/><br/>Draco’s face turned murderous, but he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and concentrated for a moment until his face was serene again. Harry watched his hand stretch out in front of him, his wand gripped tightly. His hair whipped back from his face, the sun glinting off it’s silver strands. The serenity was startling. Harry had never actually seen him look so calm. He had to look away, eventually. The few seconds he’d been watching had felt intrusive, too private. </p><p>“Expecto Patronum,” Draco whispered, forcefully but quiet, as though already prepared for failure. Sure enough, the wand before him sputtered a moment, but did not produce so much as a spark. “That’s it. That’s all that happens.”<br/><br/>“I mean, it’s better than nothing. Clearly, the magic went through it.”<br/><br/>“Fuck. Are you always this optimistic?”<br/><br/>“Usually,” Harry said with a shrug. He laughed at the look of irritation that crossed his face. “Okay, well, first thing’s first. You’re not using a strong enough memory. Were you remembering a time when you were happy?”<br/><br/>“Yes,” Malfoy snapped. “And no, Potter. I am not telling you what it was.”<br/><br/>“That’s fine, I don’t need to know. But you need to picture it more clearly. Consider the way the air felt during your memory. What was the weather like? Who was there? You know, every possible detail.”<br/><br/>“I’m...no, okay, I see what you mean.”<br/><br/>Draco tried to cast again and again, for almost an hour. Harry sat on the ground before him, tweaking this and that, asking for more detail, a different memory. He tried to talk Malfoy into a meditation session, which was soundly refused to much laughter on Harry’s part.<br/><br/>“Alright, enough. Take a break. Let’s go for a hike.”<br/><br/>“What?”<br/><br/>“A hike. You know, a walk, but...on a mountain.”<br/><br/>“There’s no reason to <em> hike </em>” Draco scoffed. “We <em>have </em> the worms.”<br/><br/>Harry laughed again. “No reason except that it’s a nice day and we’re free from work and outside? Come on, it won’t kill you.”<br/><br/>“You do not know that. This is nature. We are in <em> nature</em>. It could very well kill us.”<br/><br/>“Don’t worry so much, Draco,” Harry chuckled. “I know what I’m doing. I’ll protect you.”<br/><br/>“I— I don’t need protection. From you.”<br/><br/>Harry’s smile fell. “I know that. I was kidding. Look, I’m going to go exploring for a bit. You coming or not?”<br/><br/>Draco turned away toward his tent. Harry watched in irritation “I’m tired. I’m going to take a nap. Didn’t get much sleep.”</p><p>“Fine,” Harry grumbled, picking up his pack from where he’d dropped it and storming off without a backwards glance.</p><hr/><p>It was infuriating. Every time he got just one step closer to being <em> friendly </em>with Malfoy, he pulled back so far that it felt like a slap in the face. Harry just didn’t get it. He was trying. Trying to redeem Malfoy in his mind. Trying to forgive him. Trying to let him be this new person that Harry didn’t actually hate being around, who was acerbic and possibly even witty when he wasn’t spending every minute of the day a brooding, moody lump. </p><p>“So fucking <em> sorry </em> that I invited you to take a <em> walk</em>, your highness,” he grumbled to the ground as he climbed. “Didn’t mean to burden you with my <em> civility.</em>”<br/><br/>He marched around the rocks, scrambling up and down until he was out of breath. He found more Yarrow, some Sundews he could dry for potions, and even a few aconite flowers hidden in a crevice. By the time the evening rolled around, he was feeling better. With a full satchel of herbs and an empty water canteen, he headed back to camp.<br/><br/>“Aguamenti,” he murmured as he dropped his bag again. The water in his canteen was cool and refreshing, and he laughed at himself for not realising he could have done it sooner.<br/><br/>“What’s so funny?” Malfoy said from where he was tending the fire. His tone was intentionally cautious, innocent to the point of study, and it sent a comforting quirk of irritation through Harry that was almost welcome. They were back on familiar ground. </p><p>“Just me, forgetting I’m a wizard,” he replied. “Nothing important. Did you get some sleep?”<br/><br/>Draco nodded and handed Harry a plate of roasted vegetables.<br/><br/>“Sorry. About earlier. Think I was just frustrated.”<br/><br/>“I get it,” Harry said around his full mouth. “It’s an exhausting spell. Ready to try again after we eat?”<br/><br/>“Okay,” Draco sighed.<br/><br/>As the sun set, the moon rose; Harry was grateful for the clear skies as the stars emerged. His warm jumper and the blanket he had wrapped around his shoulders made the ground comfortable and inviting. The constellations were easy to make out in the clear mountain air. He’d missed being outside. He’d needed the break after the field, but he made a deal with himself as he stared up at the darkening sky to try and get back to exploring. </p><p>“Expecto Patronum!” Draco shouted for the fifth time. “Oh my fucking <em> god. </em> This is pointless.”<br/><br/>He collapsed to the ground beside Harry, the foot of space between them just enough that he couldn’t feel Draco’s warmth. When Harry turned his head, he found Draco’s forehead crinkled in anger. He left him to his annoyance. The feeling was familiar. After all, it had taken him <em> weeks </em> with Lupin to find a full form. And <em> he’d </em> been practising with a dementor in front of him. He gazed back up at the sky.<br/><br/>“When you have nightmares, is it of him?” Harry asked quietly.<br/><br/>“What?” Draco snapped.<br/><br/>“Sorry. That was...you don’t have to tell me. I didn’t mean to pry.” Harry meant it. He had no idea where the question had come from.<br/><br/>Draco turned to look at him. Harry could feel the eyes burrowing into the side of his head. “I usually just dream about my mother. About the day she...she almost died.”<br/><br/>Harry nodded without looking over. “I don’t dream about him either. I dream about the battle. Doesn’t seem fair, does it?”<br/><br/>“Do you actually have them every night?” Draco asked softly.<br/><br/>“Yeah. Don’t you?”<br/><br/>Draco sat up, curling his knees in. From the corner of his eye, Harry watched him become smaller than he’d ever seen him. It felt very wrong, to have someone so tall and slender, so agile, curl into a feeble ball.<br/><br/>“Only when I sleep alone,” Draco muttered.<br/><br/>Despite himself, Harry burst out laughing. “That’s quite the line there, Draco.”<br/><br/>It took a moment, but Draco’s face broke into a smile and he laughed a little bit too before turning to Harry in irritation. “Not what I meant, idiot. I just...I have roommates. And we leave the doors open. It helps when I can hear people.”<br/><br/>“I get that,” Harry nodded, turning back to the sky as Draco relaxed onto the ground beside him again. </p><p>The night continued to roll in. The air remained fresh and warm, the stars kept shining. Despite the flipping back and forth between irritated and calm he’d been feeling all day, Harry was tired and comfortable. He sighed as the contentment washed over him.<br/><br/>“Oh. My. God!” he declared, sitting up quickly. “Draco, that’s it!”<br/><br/>“What?” Draco said sitting up. </p><p>“We’ve been doing this wrong. You don’t have the right memory for happiness.”<br/><br/>“Thanks, Potter. Very avant-garde. Ground-breaking. I’ll just have to go...what? Be <em> happier</em>? No problem.”</p><p>“No, no...hear me out. You don’t feel happy the same way because, well...war. I think I feel that way too. Like, any memory that you have that feels ‘<em>happy’ </em> is contaminated with guilt. Me too. It’s why we dream about...about that day. I think. I don’t know. It’s just a theory.”<br/><br/>Draco stood up and surveyed the ground between them. “So, you’re saying that I can’t use those memories. Because the guilt gets in the way of the spell. Not the, uh, stupidest thing you’ve ever said.”<br/><br/>Harry laughed. “Thanks, Draco. So here’s the thing. Let’s try something <em> different </em> . Don’t try to remember when you were <em> happy.</em> Try to think of a time when you were <em> content</em>. At ease. Simpler, no?”<br/><br/>Harry stood up too, brushing himself off and shaking his hair to release some of the grass that had settled there. When he stopped, Draco was surveying him closely. </p><p>“Stop doing that.”<br/><br/>“Stop doing what?” Draco replied innocently.<br/><br/>“You keep...<em>studying </em> me.”<br/><br/>Draco smiled a small, private smile. “I know. Sorry. It’s just. I don’t know. You’re surprising, Potter.”<br/><br/>“Thanks?”<br/><br/>“Okay, I am going to try this memory thing. I am not saying it’s going to work. Just...for the record.” </p><p>“Noted,” Harry said wryly. </p><p>“One question.” </p><p>“Yeah?”<br/><br/>“When did you start calling me ‘Draco’?”<br/><br/>Harry was pretty sure he blushed, though he couldn’t exactly say why. He shrugged in response and gestured for Malfoy to try casting. Draco shrugged back and turned to his practice space. As was the norm at this point, he closed his eyes and stretched out his wand. He reached forward, muttered the spell and opened one eye, like a cartoon character looking over the edge of the cliff. </p><p>There, before both of them, a small silver swirl of light dashed out in front of them. Draco gasped, immediately dropping the spell. Harry beamed at him. </p><p>“Was that...did you see...holy shit!” Draco proclaimed.<br/><br/>“Yup,” Harry said, trying not to be smug. “What was the memory?”<br/><br/>“Sitting by the lake with Pansy and Blaise. Studying for finals in third year. That was such an easy year.”<br/><br/>Harry laughed. “Speak for yourself.”<br/><br/>“Psh,” Draco teased. “Sorry, we can’t all be Saint Harry Potter.”<br/><br/>“Do you seriously not remember how miserable you were in third year?”<br/><br/>“What? That business with Hagrid?”<br/><br/>“To start,” Harry smirked.<br/><br/>“Yeah, okay, fine. I was a twat. I’ve already admitted that. So, grandmaster. What do I do now? That was it, wasn’t it?”<br/><br/>“Yeah. It was a start,” Harry admitted, letting the conversation of the past go. “It would probably be enough to protect you from a dementor for a minute. Now you just practice.”<br/><br/>“So wise. So brilliant,” Draco mocked with a chuckle. “Tomorrow, though. We have to hike down, right? I need to get some sleep if I’m going to wake up again."<br/><br/>“You could—” Harry began, shaking his head as he realised what he’d been about to stay. “Never mind.”<br/><br/>Draco tilted his head, said nothing. Harry inhaled deeply.  “You could move your bed into my tent. There’s room if we move things around. If you’d sleep better.” <br/><br/>Draco’s face was both the picture of shock Harry had been anticipating, and yet something...more.<br/><br/>“Won’t that make you...I don’t know...uncomfortable?” Draco asked quietly. <br/><br/>“Why?” Harry mused, genuinely confused. When Draco just looked away, he shook his head and headed toward the tent. “As long as you promise not to attack me, I think we'll be fine. Come on, let’s do it now. Then you should try the spell one more time. Make sure it wasn’t a fluke.”</p><p>Draco pushed his hair back, surveyed the tents, then nodded once and followed. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The tent was way too warm. Too warm and too soft and definitely way, <em> way </em> too small. He was probably the only one who was feeling that way, given that Draco was asleep. He had been sound asleep for nearly an hour. Harry understood why; his spell had made sparks for thirteen consecutive attempts. The amount of magic that would have required would have made anyone tired and Draco really hadn’t slept the night before. Harry was lying with his eyes firmly closed, refusing to look at the sleeping form of Draco across from him. That was way too creepy, way too far past the line. He was determined to fall asleep without making this weird.  Was he currently confused about the existence of Malfoy in general? Possibly. And more importantly, he <em>was</em> uncomfortable, which was irritating him since he’d spent half an hour more convincing Draco that it wouldn’t be weird to share a tent. </p><p>Determined eye-closure when one had spent the day in mountain air eventually won and Harry must have fallen asleep despite his confusion. He knew this because a moment later, he was sharply awoken. Again. </p><p>“Draco!” he shouted to the bed beside him. “Draco!”<br/>
<br/>
Draco sat bolt upright, sweat clearly pouring off his skin. He wiped at his face with both hands and groaned. “Did I scream again?” he muttered.<br/>
<br/>
Harry shrugged apologetically. “Sorry, I guess I shouldn’t have woken you up. Or wait...is that sleepwalkers?”<br/>
<br/>
Draco chuckled and laid back down, turning to face Harry’s bed. “Think I appreciate you waking me up. Was a bad one.”<br/>
<br/>
“Do you, uh…” Harry faltered. “Do you want to talk about it?”<br/>
<br/>
Draco snickered. “Absolutely not. Go back to sleep.”<br/>
<br/>
“You can’t tell me what to do.”<br/>
<br/>
“Very mature,” Draco retorted with a smirk. He yawned and closed his eyes. </p><p>“You okay now?” </p><p>“Sure,” Draco yawned. “You?”<br/>
<br/>
“Sure.”<br/>
<br/>
“Okay, out with it,” Draco replied, opening one eye and fixing it on Harry in the dark tent. </p><p>There was moonlight casting a faint warm glow through the rivets of the canvas, and Harry figured that, for those with better eyesight, it was likely enough to see by. </p><p>The truth was, his midnight brain had so<em> many </em> things he wanted to say to Draco. <em> Tell me what you dreamed about that made you scream like you were dying. </em> Or <em> tell me why you trust me now. </em> And, worst of all, <em> would you sleep better if I was </em> in <em> your bed.  </em></p><p>The implications of that last one were making his heart race and sputter. He’d honestly not been aware of it until this very moment, which was ridiculous as he categorised all the things he’d been both noticing and annoyed by over the past to days. </p><p>“I don’t know what you mean,” Harry replied airily, closing his eyes at the force of his blush. </p><p>Draco sniggered and rolled onto his back again. “Fine,” he muttered. “Keep your secrets.”<br/>
<br/>
Harry smiled at the ceiling and closed his eyes. He stared at the back of his eyelids for half an hour, not sleeping. He was just about to sneak himself out of the tent when a large sigh erupted. </p><p>“You aren’t sleeping, either, are you?” Draco asked the darkness. </p><p>“You don’t know that.”<br/>
<br/>
“Yeah, whatever. Listen, I’m going to go outside and light a fire. Get a snack maybe. You can do what you want.”<br/>
<br/>
Draco got out of the bed, pulled his blanket around him, and practically waltzed out of the tent. Harry sighed to himself, covered his eyes for five more minutes, then gave up and followed. </p><p>The blaring fire provided too much light compared to the stark darkness, and Harry squinted.<br/>
<br/>
“Don’t know that we needed <em> quite </em> that large of a fire at two in the morning,” he teased.<br/>
<br/>
Draco shrugged from his chair. His wand was out and he had a mug in his hand. </p><p>“Sit," he demanded. "Cocoa?”  </p><p>“Sure?” Harry agreed hesitantly as he sat in a chair that had been dragged back to the fire pit for him. He hated that he was that predictable, yet felt a warm fuzziness arrive, unbidden.</p><p>“Watch this,” Draco replied after handing him a too-hot metal mug that Harry juggled into a comfortable hold. Draco held out his wand and said, in an almost bored voice, “Expecto Patronum.”<br/>
<br/>
The tip of his wand glowed, shooting a large circle of silver light, warm and comforting, into the clearing around them. It was so large that it illuminated all the trees at the edge of the forest. Harry could even momentarily see that there were daisies in the ground by his feet.<br/>
<br/>
“Draco,” he murmured appreciatively, standing quickly and surveying the light before it dimmed. </p><p>When he looked back down, Draco was beaming. “Pretty good, eh?” he stated, his tone quiet and proud, unlike Harry had ever heard it.<br/>
<br/>
“Draco, better than <em> good </em> ,” Harry insisted, sitting heavily in his chair and staring firmly at Draco until he looked at him. “Yesterday you couldn’t make sparks. That was very nearly corporeal. That is so much better than <em> good. </em> Merlin, do you even know how incredible you are? How good a wizard you are? It’s almost scary.” </p><p>The smile Harry received in return for this statement was painfully shy; it took everything in him not to reach out, pull Draco’s face between his hands, and insist that he had meant it. Clearly, no one <em> had </em>ever told him. No wonder he’d never produced a Patronus. </p><p>“Try again,” Harry said, beaming at him instead, trying to make him <em> understand </em> the sincerity he was suddenly feeling. “Try one more time.”<br/>
<br/>
Draco nodded gently. He stood up and inhaled deeply, closed his eyes, murmured the spell. The effect was immediate. </p><p>The forest burst into daylight. The force of the spell knocked Harry into his seat. The warmth suffused through him and his mind went blissfully blank; happiness radiated through him. He looked around, searching for it in the light trails. It <em> had </em>to be there, simply had to be. There was no way that with this much light, Draco’s Patronus form hadn’t revealed itself. </p><p>Draco was spinning in a large arc. He looked ridiculous like he was scared of his own wand. </p><p>“Harry,” he whispered reverently. The name jolted Harry back to earth. His eyes snapped to Draco immediately. “Harry,” he repeated, pointing fervently. </p><p>Harry followed his point and found it. There on the horizon, darting around playfully, rolling onto it’s back as it ran. A glittering silver fox. </p><p>Harry laughed, the sound unrecognisable as his own, so full of pride it was. “Of course your Patronus is a fox,” he laughed, putting the cocoa down on the grass to watch the animal better.<br/>
<br/>
But suddenly, it was gone. Draco had dropped the spell. As he looked up to find out why he ended up with a lap full of Malfoy. He was kissing him before his brain could protest why. Draco’s breath was ragged and hot on his skin. He smelled like night air and fire and three days of outside, and it was the best thing Harry had ever inhaled.<br/>
<br/>
“Draco,” he muttered. “Draco, wait. Stop. You...wait.”<br/>
<br/>
Draco pulled back, looking momentarily wounded until Harry wound his hands into his slightly too long hair and held him there, in his lap.<br/>
<br/>
“I just don’t want you to...regret me. Don’t. This isn’t how you—you know I want this too. I think you’ve known I want it longer than I have. I just—”<br/>
<br/>
“Fucking, <em> Potter </em> ,” Draco said playfully, his teeth suddenly making it to Harry’s earlobe. “So noble. So...virtuous.”<br/>
<br/>
Harry shivered, turning his head.<br/>
<br/>
“What, do you think I just attack anyone who has ever taught me a spell?” Draco continued, now whispering. “Because I don’t, you know.”<br/>
<br/>
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”<br/>
<br/>
“Want to know what I did right now? Why it worked? I fell asleep. I fell asleep without crying or screaming or drinking. Because <em> you </em> told me I could. It’s been...months.”<br/>
<br/>
“That’s not exactly a good enough reason,” Harry all but whined.<br/>
<br/>
“No,” Draco agreed. “It wouldn’t be. But it <em> was </em> enough to stop fighting the fact that you and I...we make sense. I think we’ve both been trying to ignore that for a while, haven’t we? Since I started at the Ministry. Right?”<br/>
<br/>
“Maybe not quite that long.”<br/>
<br/>
“Tell yourself what you need to, <em> Harry </em>,” Draco said, pulling back to look at him straight on. Grey eyes and silver hair in the moonlight. Convictions and understanding, an inability to back down. A past and a present, a future they’d both secured. In other words,</p><p>“Perfect,” Harry stated, tucking hair behind Draco’s ear.<br/>
<br/>
“Agreed,” Draco replied, tucking himself back into Harry’s space and waiting for him to give in.</p><p>Which, of course, he did.  </p>
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